"Teacher, do they look good?" Ning Rongrong said, stepping gracefully through the sunlight as she skipped toward Guangling, the ends of her hair swaying gently with every movement.
Guangling's eyes shimmered with amusement as he chuckled softly, "They look wonderful! Our Rongrong always looks the best."
Ning Rongrong pouted her little lips in mock displeasure. "You're just trying to flatter me, Teacher! Still, for the sake of these outfits, I'll let you off the hook!"
With that, she eagerly placed her left foot into the stirrup of the smaller horse, grabbed the iron rings of the saddle with both hands, and pushed up slightly with her left leg. Her body lifted into the air as her right leg swept in a half-circle over the horse's back, landing her securely and steadily in the saddle.
Seeing his young disciple execute such a fluid and effortless movement, Guangling's expression turned slightly surprised!
A thought immediately crossed his mind: *With movements that practiced, she clearly already knows how to ride horses, yet she acted like a beginner just to fool me!* He narrowed his eyes and asked, "When did you learn to ride a horse?"
Ning Rongrong froze instantly, a guilty look flashing across her face.
*Oh no! The one who knew how to ride was my past-life self. After being reborn, I was too young and barely ever left the house. Even when I did, I either took a carriage or flew directly. I got too excited yesterday and completely forgot I knew how to ride!*
*What should I do? Teacher seems to have figured it out!*
After thinking for a long time, Ning Rongrong decided to throw caution to the wind. Just as she was about to make up an explanation, she heard Guangling say through gritted teeth:
"Figured out how to fool me yet? Come on, let's hear your excuse."
Ning Rongrong instantly lost any desire to explain, and instead pounced into a coquettish whine: "Tea—cher—it doesn't matter when I learned! What matters is that I can ride now, which means we don't have to take a carriage. We'll reach Heaven Dou City in no time!"
Seeing his young disciple's transparent attempt to cover things up, Guangling feigned a wronged expression and sighed, "Ah~ My disciple is growing up and has her own little secrets. It seems your teacher can no longer manage you."
Faced with this painfully obvious routine, Ning Rongrong said helplessly, "Teacher, do you remember that you are the Fifth Elder of Spirit Hall? This act really doesn't suit you. Drop it, please."
*My teacher is so old, yet still loves to play around like this. Today's teachers are just too hard to handle!*
Caught red-handed, Guangling felt no embarrassment at all. In front of his little disciple, there was no such thing as losing face. He earnestly instructed, "Remember not to ride too fast!" Then he swung himself up onto his horse, flicked the reins, and took the lead. Ning Rongrong followed closely behind.
After a morning of traveling, Ning Rongrong felt a slight discomfort in her body and said to Guangling, "Let's take a break!"
Just then, the two of them happened to reach a small hill. Realizing that the time was right, Guangling nodded at Ning Rongrong and replied, "Alright."
Moments later, the two of them pulled back on their reins simultaneously. Ning Rongrong dismounted and walked to the edge of the hill, stretching lazily as she overlooked the magnificent scenery below.
Guangling glanced back at the horse his young disciple had left behind, shot a look to the rear, and dismounted with practiced ease, walking toward Ning Rongrong.
Immediately, a hidden guard emerged from behind and led the two horses away to graze nearby.
Guangling walked up to Ning Rongrong, retrieved a water flask from his soul tool, and handed it to her. He then produced a blanket and a box of fruit, spread the blanket out beside Ning Rongrong, and gestured for his young disciple to sit down.
Guangling's storage soul tool always kept a stock of the food Ning Rongrong liked to eat. His little disciple was still growing, after all, and must not go hungry.
Whenever the two of them traveled together, Guangling would personally see to everything Ning Rongrong needed, and Ning Rongrong had long since grown accustomed to her teacher's meticulous care.
The midday sun was just right. Master and disciple sat side by side at the edge of the hill, their legs dangling and swaying gently.
Their cyan and white boots intertwined, the gentle breeze rustling past and harmonizing with the rhythm of their swinging legs, as if together they were playing a hymn to nature.
From behind, their brown and silver hair lifted and danced together in the wind, while the cyan-clad figure occasionally waved her arms, soaking in the power of nature.
After a short rest, the two resumed their journey. That evening, they rested at a local inn, setting off again at dawn. Ten days later, they finally arrived in Heaven Dou City.
...
The moment they entered Heaven Dou City, a man dressed in the platinum bishop robes of Spirit Hall hurried forward. Bowing respectfully, he said:
"Milord, Young Miss, my name is Salas, and I am the bishop of the Heaven Dou City Spirit Branch. Welcome, both of you."
Ning Rongrong nodded without speaking. Guangling glanced sideways at the man and replied, "Rise. Have everything prepared?"
"Previously, we received a letter from Spirit Hall informing us of your impending arrival, so the food and rooms have already been prepared.
The ingredients are all fresh, and the facilities in the rooms were personally re-equipped by myself. The medicinal herbs mentioned in the letter are also ready. Once the two of you have finished dinner, you may return to your rooms for the medicinal bath."
"Lead the way."
"Yes."
Meanwhile, as Ning Rongrong walked through the bustling streets of Heaven Dou City, memories of her past life came flooding back.
Studying at Shrek Academy, the Shrek Seven Devils fighting step-by-step from the preliminary rounds to the promotion matches, the seven of them shouting the slogan "Never admit defeat" together, founding the Tang Sect... Every single scene was vivid in her mind.
Although she had already decided never to look back, returning to a familiar place inevitably stirred up old emotions.
Guangling noticed that his young disciple had been completely silent ever since entering the city, and assumed the days of continuous travel had taken a toll on her physical strength.
After all, his little disciple was still young. Reaching out, he wrapped an arm around Ning Rongrong's waist and flew directly toward the Spirit Branch, with Salas scrambling to keep up from behind.
Upon arriving at the Spirit Branch, master and disciple quickly finished dinner and returned to their respective rooms to rest.
Only after safely escorting the two of them to their rooms did Salas finally let out a breath. A servant nearby seized the opportunity to step forward and ask:
"Milord, what is the background of that young woman? To have you personally waiting on her hand and foot—she and the Fifth Elder seem to have an unusual relationship. Could she be the Fifth Elder's...?" Before he could finish, Salas kicked him flying.
Lowering his voice, Salas glared and warned: "Talk nonsense again and you're dead! That is the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Fifth Elder's disciple. I've heard the elders of the Supplied Hall protect her like the apples of their eyes. If you run your mouth again, be careful your head rolls!
Go tell everyone in the branch: serve these two ancestors properly. If you mess up, you can all pack your bags and get lost!" Without waiting for a reply, he turned and hurried away.
...
Back in his room, just as Guangling was preparing to bathe, he heard a faint rustling sound by the window. A figure flashed past outside.
Guangling instantly bolted toward the window in high alert, only to find a feather seal left upon the windowsill.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he summoned his hidden guard and commanded: "You are not to go anywhere. Guard the Young Miss here with your life! If she loses even a single hair on her head, bring me your head."
"Yes!"
With that, Guangling leaped out the window, chasing after the lingering aura left by the intruder. Before long, he stopped at a grove of trees just outside Heaven Dou City. The surroundings were pitch black, and just as Guangling prepared to push deeper into the trees, a deep male voice rang out from beside his ear:
"Guangling, long time no see!"
...
[End of Chapter]